Erinome: Hello dear friends, and welcome to our show! Today we are going to talk about the topic of a grand military parade.
Enceladus: That's right! Hello everyone. We have some exciting news. China will hold a very big military parade on September 3rd, 2025.
Erinome: Wow, a military parade! That sounds really cool. So, what is this parade for?
Enceladus: It's to remember the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.
Erinome: Oh, I see. It's a very important day. So, do we know the schedule for September 3rd?
Enceladus: Yes, we do! The official plan is out. At 9:00 in the morning, a meeting will start, and a national leader will give an important speech.
Erinome: Okay, 9:00 AM. What happens after the speech?
Enceladus: The main event, the military parade, will officially start at 10:00 AM. It will last for about 70 minutes.
Erinome: 70 minutes! That's quite long. Is there anything planned for the evening?
Enceladus: Yes, there is. At 8:00 PM, there will be a big evening party, a gala, at the Great Hall of the People. It's called "Zhengyi Bisheng", which means "Justice Will Prevail".
Erinome: That sounds like a full day of events. How can people like us watch the parade?
Enceladus: We can watch it on TV. CCTV will show it live. Also, websites like Xinhua net will have live text and photos.
Erinome: Great! It’s good that we can watch it live. I heard some cinemas are even selling tickets to watch the live show on the big screen.
Enceladus: You know that? Yes, like the Warner International Cinema. People can buy tickets and watch it together. What an experience!
Erinome: So, what can we expect to see in the parade? Any special things?
Enceladus: Definitely. There will be 45 different groups, or *fangdui*, in the parade. It will have two parts: a review and a march.
Erinome: 45 groups! Can you tell me more about them?
Enceladus: Sure. For example, there will be an Air Flag Guard group. Helicopters will fly in formation, carrying flags and making words in the sky.
Erinome: Flying in formation and making words? That's amazing! What about the soldiers marching?
Enceladus: The foot soldier groups will have an "old and new" theme. "Old" means they are from army units that fought in the war, like the Eighth Route Army.
Erinome: And what does "new" mean?
Enceladus: "New" shows the new structure of the military. It represents the modern armed forces.
Erinome: That's a great way to connect the past and the present. I also read about a War Flag formation.
Enceladus: Yes, the War Flag group is very special. Soldiers will carry flags from famous units that fought bravely during the war. It shows that the spirit of these heroes lives on.
Erinome: That’s very meaningful. What about the big equipment? Like tanks and missiles?
Enceladus: Of course! The equipment will be shown in groups based on how they fight together in a real battle. There will be land, sea, and air defense groups.
Erinome: So it's not just showing machines, but showing how they work together.
Enceladus: Exactly. And there will be lots of new things. For example, unmanned vehicles, you know, drones. And there will be a group for strategic missiles.
Erinome: Wow! Are all these weapons and equipment made in China?
Enceladus: Yes, all of them are made in China and are currently used by the army. It will be a big show of China's new military technology.
Erinome: I remember the 2019 parade had a lot of new equipment. This sounds even more advanced.
Enceladus: It is. The news says they will show advanced things like hypersonic weapons. It shows the country's power to protect itself.
Erinome: And I bet the music will be powerful too.
Enceladus: Oh yes! The military band will be the largest in the history of China's parades, with over a thousand musicians.
Erinome: A thousand musicians! That's a huge orchestra.
Enceladus: They will play classic songs from the war and also some new music. The formation of the band is also special. It will have 14 rows, for the 14 years of war.
Erinome: That is so thoughtful. Every detail has a meaning. But I have a question. Why is the parade on September 3rd?
Enceladus: That's a very good question. Many people wonder about that.
Erinome: Right. I thought Japan announced their surrender on August 15th, 1945.
Enceladus: You are right, the Japanese Emperor made a speech on August 15th. But in that speech, he never used the word "surrender". He only said the war would "end".
Erinome: Oh, so it wasn't a formal surrender?
Enceladus: No. It felt more like a notice, not an apology. And after August 15th, some Japanese soldiers in China were still fighting. So for Chinese people, the war wasn't really over.
Erinome: I see. So what about September 2nd? I learned in history class that Japan officially signed the surrender papers on that day on a US warship.
